


Blue Tinted Memories

by WingedChickadee



Series: Colored Memories (Monster Hunter) [1]
Category: Monster Hunter (Video Games)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Pre-Monster Hunter World, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 19:05:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13817520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WingedChickadee/pseuds/WingedChickadee
Summary: Blue stands out the most in this memory. The blue eyes of their teacher, and mother. The pale blue sky above them, and the blue wax sealing the sad words of a letter they didn't want to receive. Even the sky as they remember is a dark navy and purple. Everything about it is tinted blue.





	Blue Tinted Memories

Behind a large building with tall trees all around, a broad-shouldered woman and small scrawny child stand in the shadows of the trees cast by a rising sun. The child has their feet planted and struggles to pull back the string on a bow much smaller than the one on the woman’s back. The woman watches as the child tries again, and again, but can’t seem to pull it back. She notices they’re doing it wrong. They put a hand on the small shoulder and look down at them.

“That’s not how you pull the bowstring back kid and you know it,” the voice of the tall hunter with pulled back brown hair chastises a young teen struggling to pull back the bow in their hand. 

“Well it’s hard to pull back and this way was supposed to make it easier!” The child counters with a whine.

The hunter raises her eye and stares down at the child with an almost challenging look.

“Is it too hard? Do we need to stop for the day?”

The child jumps and shakes their head quickly. Their eyes are wide with childlike desperation. Stopping for the day would be the end of the world. They stare into the hunter’s bright blue eyes and she sees the determination in them. So much fire for someone so young. She knew that would work. 

“No! I can do this.”

“Well then do it right.”

The child huffs but focuses. They stick their tongue out in a way to focus and adjust their stance and arms to pull the string back correctly this time. The hunter watches with proud eyes and has the child do it again, and again. This way it starts to be ingrained in their muscle memory. The sun rises higher in the clear blue sky, and the hunter decides it’s time for a break.

“Come on, let’s go back inside. I’ll make you some lunch,” she says as she takes the bow from the pouting kid.

“No! I want to keep practicing,” they whine and stomp their foot.

“None of that Coye. Everyone needs breaks, and we’re going to take one. Alright?”

Coye crosses their arms and pouts more, and the hunter just stares down at them. There is a mini stare-off before Coye’s stomach rumbles loudly. They shuffle in place as the hunter laughs.

“You sure you don’t want some lunch?”

“Fiiiiiiine. I’ll come eat some lunch.”

“Good because there was no choice about it,” she says with a laugh.

“What? No fair Teira!”

“Oh it is totally fair, I’m the adult here.”

“Nuh-uh, I’m the adult.”

Teira raises an eyebrow and asks playfully, “Is that so?”

Coye nods and puts their hands on their hips. “Yep!”

“Well then Adult, you can make us lunch.”

“Noooooo, that’s not what adults do. They just..uh...they just...they just tell kids what to do!”

“And that’s exactly what I’m doing, come on now.”

Coye doesn’t move and just pouts. Teira sighs dramatically and squats so they’re a little more eye level with the pouting child. She sticks her gloves in her pocket before speaking.

“If you say so. But if you don’t get inside to eat lunch soon, the tickle monster is going to show up.”

Before Coye can react, Teira is reaching out with wiggling fingers. Coye squeaks and runs around Teira’s hands before dashing to the building. Teira smiles and jogs after them, letting the rambunctious kid make it to the back door of the building before they grab them into a hug.

“Noooooooo stop it! Teira!” Coye squeals as they laugh at Teira tickling their stomach.

“Sorry, Teira isn’t here anymore. It’s just the tickle monster.”

“Stoooop.”

“The way to drive the tickle monster away is to say you’ll eat lunch and listen to the wise and talented hunter who is feeding you.”

“I-I’ll eat lunch!”

Teira stops tickling, but both of them continue to laugh. After a bit to take and deep breaths and stop laughing, the two of them make their way into the Guild Hall of Kokoto. They both head to the canteen and Coye waves to the chef that’s there. He starts with their usual food as Teira reaches into her bag. Coye watches with inquisitive curious eyes.

“What is it? Is it something for me?”

Teira nods and hands Coye a letter sealed with blue wax, which they open as fast as they can. Their eyes travel across the parchment, and small fingers begin to grip it tight enough to crumple the edges. Their joyful expression drops into one that does not fit a child’s face. Teira notices the somber sad expression; growing worried they hold their hand out for the letter. Coye hands it over and stays quiet, pulling their knees to their chest. Teira reads it and understands almost immediately why Coye’s vibrant energy died down. She’s a bit confused, but, it’s the only answer there is from the letter.

“Your parents will be coming home soon,” Teira bluntly states to try to get the sad kid to start to speak.

“Mhm..”

“Why is that a bad thing..?”

Coye rubs at their eyes and sniffles. “Because they’ll come home and then leave again! They never stay here...and...and I miss them, even more, every time they leave. I-I just want them to stay...I want to be enough for them to stay..”

Teira’s heartaches and she pulls them into a tight hug. She is going to have some strong words with this kid’s parents. She’s met them before but this...she didn’t know they caused Coye this much distress when they left. How dare they make their child feel unloved and unwanted. Coye sniffles more and they are just trying so hard not to cry, especially not in the middle of the canteen. 

“I won’t leave you, Coye.”

Coye looks up at Teira with tears welling in their eyes. They let go of her shirt to rub at their eyes to stop the tears. Their voice is so timid and questioning like they don’t fully believe the hunter.

“Y-you won’t?”

“I promise I won’t,” Teira states softly as she hugs them tightly. She cares so much about this kid. The years she’s known them just...she wants to make sure they feel wanted and loved. “And I’ll give you something to remind you of that promise.”

Coye tilts their head as Teira reaches up to her neck and pulls a necklace off. There a chipped small azure scale attached to a thin metal chain. Teira smiles and puts it around Coye’s head. Coye lifts it up and stares at it. 

Their face is quickly brightening and with enthusiasm ask, “What is it? Which monster is it from?! It looks so cool!”

“It’s from an Azure Rathalos kiddo.”

“Oooo, it’s pretty. Was it hard to fight?”

“Yeah it was. I had some help though so I was alright.”

“And you’re giving it to me?”

Teira ruffles their hair and laughs. “Of course I am. It’s a physical reminder of my promise. I won’t ever leave you kid.”

Coye hugs Teira tightly and hides their face in her shoulder. Their voice is muffled as they say, “Love you Teira and I won’t leave you either!”

“Love you too Coye.”

~~

Coye stares at the scale in their hand as they lean on the railing of a ship. Their heart heavy, the scale feeling like it weighs tons. The sky is a dark blue and purple with sparkling stars above; there is the smell of salt water in the air. Coye sighs a bit as they just look at the scale. Throughout all the years since they were given it, they’ve never taken it off for long. They never lost it or misplaced it. It is the thing they have that is most precious to them. 

Footsteps coming up from behind cause them to turn around and look at the stranger. Wait. Not a stranger. 

“Tro, I uh..I thought you were asleep.”

He moves over to them and leans against the railing. He gives them a shrug.

“I was, but then I woke up and noticed you weren't. So I decided to make sure you hadn’t fallen overboard during the night.”

“Hey!” Coye shouts with an incredulous tone. 

Tro scoffs and turns to look out at the ocean. “What? You would have climbed the mast to look at the stars better and then thought that grappling down would be a smart idea. Then somehow manage to fling yourself in the ocean.”

They punch his arm and shift so they’re looking back out at the ocean with Tro.

“Ass. That wouldn’t happen.”

“You wanted to try to jump down onto a monster once and completely missed. Then it’s tail knocked you off the cliff. So with you, anything’s possible.”

“Okay that is...that’s fair. I’ll give you that one point.”

He nudges them with a smile on his face and a comfortable silence falls between them. The only sound breaking the night air is the waves breaking against the wooden hull of the ship. Across the water there are the lights from the other ships of the fleet. In the dark night, that’s the only thing that let’s the two of them know they aren’t the only ship here. The ocean is terrifying and beautiful all at the same time. Minutes pass and Coye pulls out the scale again to stare at it. Tro notices and nudges his friend again.

“How long have you had that?”

Coye jumps a bit and shrugs. They bounce their foot on the wooden deck and hesitate to answer. It’s an easy answer..but...

“Personal question? Sorry.”

“Sorta, just, I’ve had it for a long time and it was a gift and-”

“It’s alright.”

“No, I just...no one’s asked me before, or seen it..”

“Like I said, it’s cool if you don’t answer. I was just curious.”

Coye taps their hands on the railing and starts to bounce in place. Their mind is whirling on what to do. Why is this so damn hard? It’s not even bad, or serious, it’s just a fact about themself. They pinch their hand and take a deep breath. It’s just a sentence. 

“My mom gave it to me when I was really young. Just...it’s just a reminder of her I have.”

Tro nods and decides not to ask more questions. He yawns loudly and pats Coye on the shoulder.

“I’m going to head back to bed. Try not to fall into the ocean, yeah?”

“Oh shut up, I’m not going to fall into the ocean.”

“Sure sure.” Tro’s hand raise up in mock surrender. 

“Night Tro.”

“Night Coye.”

Tro turns and walks back down below deck to where the hunters are staying to sleep. Coye looks back out at the ocean and sniffles a bit. They grip the scale with tight fingers before tucking it under their shirt again. One pat to the railing as they turn away from the ocean. A deep breath to calm their emotions, one more, and they head towards the stairs. The night sky is glimmering above them as they head below deck to sleep. 

The deck is bathed in silence and soft light from the moon and sapphire star. The rocking of the ship lulls Coye into a fast and peaceful sleep. Dreams full of tall trees just out of reach and a mother lurking just beyond the forest’s edge, with a growing chasm between them.

**Author's Note:**

> So I’ve only ever played monster hunter world, so like. If somehow I fucked up something in this one, or like, any future writings. Let me know, if you know I mean. Lol.


End file.
